Iceland — Geothermal Civilization & the Rewilding of a Denuded Land

Iceland's environmental credentials begin with energy: virtually all of the country's electricity comes from renewable sources (a mix of hydropower and geothermal), and roughly 90% of its homes and buildings are heated by direct geothermal piping — making Iceland's carbon footprint per unit of comfort among the lowest of any cold-climate nation on earth. Newer tourism infrastructure follows this logic: geothermal spa developments in areas like Laugarás have been designed with advanced water management systems, smart energy monitoring, and architectural integration into the geothermal landscape rather than over it. But Iceland's most interesting regenerative story is its land: when Norse settlers arrived in the 9th century, Iceland was substantially forested. By the 20th century, centuries of sheep grazing and peat cutting had reduced forest cover to a small fraction of that and created some of the most severe soil erosion in Europe — in a country with no conventional agricultural pressure. The Icelandic Soil Conservation Service has been fighting this erosion since 1907, and citizen and tourist participation through programs like Landvernd's CARE (Caring and Restoring Ecosystems) initiative has accelerated the effort. CARE runs volunteer soil restoration and land revegetation sessions open to international visitors throughout the season — giving travelers the opportunity to physically rebuild Iceland's degraded lava field soils and plant native birch and willow seedlings. Groups from universities and environmental organizations worldwide participate, with sessions structured to combine restoration work with ecological education about the soil systems being repaired. It is arguably one of the most tangible hands-on restoration experiences available anywhere in Europe. For standard visitors, Iceland's geothermal infrastructure makes it possible to travel with a remarkably low energy footprint: geothermal spas, heated swimming pools in every town, and an expanding EV charging network combine to create a travel experience where sustainability is ambient, not performative.